Everyone has comfort foods that are their go to from time to time. Mine generally go towards huge grilled or smoked meaty things, items with ample amounts of bacon or down home country cooking.
A lot of folks have their favorite comfort food meal at a restaurant but I’ll take home cooked something or other over that every single day.
Think of any course of food, and one can probably recount who makes the best version of that dish.
My favorite side has to be “Aunt Sue’s Potato Salad”. No family get together was complete without it, in my opinion.
I do have the recipe now, and make it on occasion. Mine isn’t as good as hers, and no visit to her home is complete without a bowl or three, low carb diet notwithstanding.
While the exact recipe is a closely held secret, there are a few things that separate it from the pack of excellent potato salads.
In random order, those “family secrets” include the following:
-in separate bowl, mix all ingredients together except bacon grease and potatoes
-Very very finely mince the onion and celery
-cook 8 slices of bacon very well done
-crumble 5 pieces of bacon and mix into the potato salad mixture
-reserve the remaining to top the salad
-when the potatoes are cooked and drained stir in 3 tablespoons of hot bacon grease
-add 1/4 cup of sugar to the salad
-use miracle whip instead of mayo.
These additions kind of set this recipe apart from all others.
As we get older our taste buds or perception on things may change. But this “recipe” has only gotten better to me.
Here’s the real secret to “Aunt Sue’s Potato Salad.”
It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized all of the Cool Whip and Country Crock containers I always took home were not leftovers. They were the extra batch she made on the side just for me. Real food. Made with love. Just for me.
And let me tell you, no meal can ever beat that recipe.